


Just a little Klangsty

by deecherrywolf



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Altean Lance (Voltron), Anal Sex, M/M, Major Character Injury, Public Humiliation, Sex for the wrong reasons, Whipping, onesided Sheith - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 08:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10567776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deecherrywolf/pseuds/deecherrywolf
Summary: Collection of klangstweek2k17 fics I did.





	1. Can't Help But Think of Yesterday

**Author's Note:**

> Just figured I'd post these here to show hey, I'm not dead. But with the way my work has been going, I may as well be.

Note/Description: It’s been fifteen years since Keith has been a member of the blade of marmora, fifteen years since he’s felt human and had physical contact with his fellow paladins. Still, feelings are remembered upon a reunion.

\----

Why was he even here?

That thought pulsated through Keith’s mind as he walked leisurely through the crowded ballroom. His eyes were roaming, ever alert and on guard - it came with his position in the Galra Empire, as a member of the Blade of Marmora. But that didn’t matter, what mattered was the memories that being here brought.

It had been well over fifteen years since he’d last come to the Altean Castleship, fifteen years since he’d felt this sense of nostalgia. His hand clasped his drink more firmly, casting a glance towards one of the persons in the ballroom.

Shiro and Allura were talking to some species of alien race they had saved once, years ago - their eyes bright and listening to the alien, probably discussing something of a diplomatic nature - as these events tend to bring those out. He sipped his drink, looking around more. He sought out the other paladins, finding them quickly - Pidge was the easiest to spot as she wore Altean wear. She, along with Shiro and himself, had been one of the ones who remained in space. Pidge ended up working for Allura in the quest of rebuilding civilizations. Keith dealt with her as well, as the Galra Empire had needed much restoration.

He then found Lance, pausing on the other. His heart thudded painfully at the sight of him. Lance looked, well… he looked amazing. He thickened out with age, his chin broader than before and the expanse of his chest and shoulders. He still had a lean look about him, but he definitely looked less boyish and more like the man he had become. He was talking to Hunk, both of them a resident of Earth, so of course they’d stick together. Keith tossed back the rest of his drink, feeling it burn as he made his way over to them.

Hunk’s eyes met him first. Hunk was probably the one who changed the least - aside from the facial hair and his haircut. His face had definitely changed, but compared to the rest of them, Hunk was the most still like he was fifteen years ago.

“Holy crap, Keith?”

Keith didn’t smile, sometimes he wondered if he had forgotten how to. Instead, he simply waved, his eyes riveted on Lance as the other turned around. Those blue eyes caught his, even though Keith’s always fell to that scar on Lance’s mouth - the one that split his otherwise perfect lips apart. It wasn’t a hideous scar, Keith found it charming, but it was still a scar.

“Hey.”  
“Hey.”

An awkwardness settled in, Keith holding eye contact with Lance a second longer than necessary while Hunk cleared his throat, rotating his drink in his hand, the liquor swishing to and fro.

“So, uh, you married yet Keith?”

Keith raised an eyebrow at that, his lips twitching. “I’m a member of the blade, I will never marry - not in the human sense, anyways.”

Lance smirked, his own brow raising at that. “You even talk like one of them now.”

“I am one of them now.”

Another beat of awkward silence, Keith glanced down at their hands. Hunk’s left hand bore a golden band, while Lance’s did not. That surprised Keith. He looked up at them.

“And you guys? Married?”

Hunk cleared his throat. “I’m glad you asked, yeah - I sent an invite your way but, I heard it didn’t make it on time.”

Keith’s eyes shadowed for a moment. “It’s true. I remember that, I’m sorry I did not make it.”

“Eh, it’s okay. But since you mentioned it. I’ve been busy, if you catch my drift, so check this out.”

Hunk fished his wallet, which made Lance click his tongue. Before Keith could escape it - a long row of photos fell from Hunk’s wallet. Pictures of cute children flashed before Keith’s eyes. The oldest of them, a girl, had to be at least ten years old. Two more children after that, both boys. One probably about six and then a baby. Keith felt his heart warm for Hunk.

“They’re cute.”

“Aren’t they? They are my angels. I’m telling you, Keith, kids are the best thing to happen to me.”

Keith wouldn’t know. He’d never know. Even if he did find the time or the right person to do it with, his position within the blades would not allow him such things. Plus, why would he want to have children?

There had been a time he had thought about it. A time he’d fantasized living by a beach, with a warm home on Earth filled with warm smiles and even warmer laughs. Blue eyed children that belonged to him and his fantasy lover. But that had been well over fifteen years ago.

“I’m surprised you aged.”

Keith’s brows dipped and he scowled at Lance examining him. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, just that Galra live a long time, right? I just assumed…”

Keith shrugged. “My human genetics are stronger. Obviously.”

“Obviously.” parroted Lance, his lips quirking in a soft smirk.

Oh, that smile. It had been the one that belonged to his fantasy lover, all those years ago. He clenched his fists.

“I’m surprised you don’t have any children.”

Lance’s eyes shadowed. “No. But I had been married once.”

Curiosity and a pang of jealousy pulsed through Keith. “Oh?”

“Yeah… but things happened and it ended.”

The swell of Lance’s voice, thickening with emotion made Keith feel protective of Lance, never wanting to hear him like that again. But that would be silly, wouldn’t it? They were practically strangers now, separated by fifteen years and galaxies. Lance had a home on Earth and Keith was a Blade. It was ridiculous to even contemplate anything more.

“Well, it was nice seeing you both.”

Keith excused himself, ignoring Lance as he made his way towards the door. He needed space, needed to look at the stars.

He walked to the window rail, leaning against it and sighed as he looked up at the stars as they twinkled down on him, a constant reminder of how he wasn’t alone. He could easily spot the cluster of stars that lead him to the Blade headquarters…to home.

Home.

He squinted his eyes, nose wrinkling as he felt his presence.

“What do you want Lance?”

“How’d you know I was there?”

Lance walked over, leaning against the railing beside Keith. Keith eyed him before he sighed. “Everyone has a presence, distinct to themselves.”

“Hm.”

“So, what do you want?”

Lance was quiet, looking up at the stars. The look on Lance’s face was one that was thoughtful. His blue eyes reflecting the stars, making those dark blue eyes look like a beautiful night sky.

“You ever wonder how different things would have been if…”

Keith felt his heart lurch, his eyes on Lance whose brows now pinched together in thought. Those night sky eyes were on him now, shining brighter than the stars.

“If we would have taken that chance.”

Keith’s whole world seemed to tilt on its axis, his heart pulling and his lips tightening. Memories of a love that would never be pulsed in his mind and the memory of Lance’s rejection, the memory of accepting the Blades offer to… he clenched his fists.

“There is no point in wondering such things. This is our present, our truth.”

Lance’s nose wrinkled. “Man, you really do talk like one of them now.”

“How many times must I stress that I am one of them now. I have been for fifteen years.”

“Yeah, but you’re still Keith. You’re still half human, with a human heart beating in your chest. You can act like a blade all you want, but you’ll always be the hot headed red paladin deep down.”

And what good did that do him? A human heart could be broken. It was easier to pretend he was a full Blade. Easier to pretend that his human side didn’t exist.

Lance smiled at him, making his human heart flutter. “See? That expression on your face makes you human.”

Keith hadn’t even realized how pained he looked and Lance tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear didn’t help, he sucked in a breath, his heart pounding painfully.

“It’s okay to feel. It’s okay to be human once and awhile.”

Looking back, Keith would deny the tears. He wouldn’t admit that he had cried that night. Even when he returned to the Blade headquarters that night, even when he spoke with the leader. Even when he made plans to return to Earth - even if it were just for a visit, for a chance he thought he had missed, but maybe there was still hope.

Maybe, he could have what he had always wanted.


	2. I Know You're Asking Me to Stay

Description: continuation from previous entry, but from Lance's side.

\------

Lance had long ago learned not to have faith in anyone. The only person you could truly trust was yourself.

It had started with his first relationship when he returned home from saving the universe. It had been a fun relationship, the woman had seen him as a hero and seemed to love him, but soon enough, that ended. She felt he thought too often of Voltron, of his team, than her. Maybe he had, but it was to be expected, he still had his duties as the blue paladin back then. But whatever, his next relationship had been better. But the same issue kept pressing, kept being a problem. It wasn’t like he always just thought about Voltron, but he couldn’t ignore the call when he was asked to come.

It took about two years until he met who he had thought was “the one”.

Paula Malone had been a graduate from the Garrison- a beautiful engineer that seemed to understand Lance and his position with not only the Garrison but with Voltron. They had bonded, they had a calm relationship and amazing sex. Lance remembered proposing, remembered the tears in her eyes as she said yes. He remembered how beautiful she was on the wedding day and how gorgeous she was through the honeymoon and the weeks that followed.

He had loved her, more than he thought he ever could another person. He had told her everything, shared so many secrets with her, so many fears. She had been very much his rock as he was hers. He had learned about her quirks and her own problems, they dealt with them together. They had bonded over so much and made fun wherever they went.

He had truly loved her, but she had been the nail in his coffin.

He soured as he remembered how the relationship had turned to shit. It was always on nights when he laid awake in his empty bed, yearning for someone to hold, that he would think about his ex-wife. Think of how she deceived him.

Paula had been too good to be true, with beautiful brown eyes and luscious lips. Her charming personality and her sweet nature. No, behind all of that, a viper had been coiled, waiting to strike at his heart.

It had happened on a weekday. Lance had come home earlier than expected, only to find Paula not only home as well, but definitely not waiting for him.

Lance’s heart shattered catching his wife in bed with another man. Of course she looked remorseful even as the guy fled. But just when Lance thought his heart couldn’t break any further, she crushed it even more with her words.

“Oh Lance, I thought you wouldn’t mind, with you being bisexual and all, I thought you’d find it hot.”

That had hurt. Not only her cheating but her ignorance. He would have never expected that kind of ignorance from a woman like her. How long had she felt that way? How long had she been going behind his back because she thought he wouldn’t mind because of his sexuality - which had nothing to do with his fidelity? He never thought he’d have to deal with such a thing. He knew he couldn’t deal with a lifetime of it either. So without any delay, he demanded a divorce.

It hurt even more when she was eager to accept those terms.

Divorce had been a long process, tiring and stressful, but it made Lance thankful he didn’t have kids with her - no matter how much he wanted them.

After the divorce, Lance felt changed. He lost faith in others that he had taken for granted before. Love wasn’t what it used to be. He was paranoid when dating, wondering just how fake the person was in front of him, just how much they were projecting to impress rather than being true.

And that brought Lance to the here and now, trying with someone he knew would be true, someone who didn’t put up fronts.

He leaned against the door frame of his home, watching Keith approach, those deep purple-gray eyes just as wary as his. After seeing Keith at the reunion a couple of months prior, they had kept in close contact after that. It had been weird, finding Keith had changed yet had not changed. It made him want to learn his friend all over again and get to know him more intimately. Definitely more intimately. His heart flipped, memories of his past crushes on Keith, of wanting a life with him, made him hopeful.

Hopeful…

Keith hadn’t been among humans in ages, hadn’t been with anyone for even longer. He had lived as Galra, as a blade of marmora member. He was unaccustomed to human courtship now and a part of Lance was thankful for that. His paranoia over relationships was quelled by Keith’s inexperience.

It made him want to have faith in him, in them.

As he welcomed Keith into his home, into his heart, he sealed the welcoming with a kiss. Trusting Keith with his heart and his faith.

Or what little he had left of both.

“Are you sure you wish to date me?”

Lance raised an eyebrow at that, but watched Keith stroke the side of Lance’s home - his eyes roaming each part of it. Lance shifted, his heart thudding.

“Why wouldn’t I want to date you? You’re Keith.”

Keith’s brow quirked, following Lance inside the house. “I fear that I’m really out of date with human… anything. So you’ll have to be patient with me on… everything.”

Lance’s lips quirked, shrugging gently. “I can deal with that.”

Keith didn’t have much baggage, just a knapsack of odds and ends - a blade uniform, his blade, and a few pictures and some trinkets. Lance watched Keith examine his home before Lance decided to talk.

“You only brought your uniform?”

“It’s the only clothing I own.”

Lance’s eyes widened slightly, thinking of the closet full of his clothing. “Well, looks like first order of business would be to go get you some clothes, yeah?”

“It is probably best I do not go in my uniform. Do you have anything I can borrow?”

“Yeah, of course. Follow me.”

Lance guided Keith into his room, making him feel a little vulnerable. It was his room, after all. He opened the closet and began rooting through it to find something that would look good on Keith. A lot of his shirts would be longer on him, but Keith was broader than he was - they would be tight on him. After finding some pants and a shirt he deemed okay, he turned to hand them to Keith, only to find Keith examining a small photo that was stuck in the corner of the mirror - a photo of Lance and Paula’s wedding. Lance felt his throat close as he watched Keith look at it.

“We’re divorced, that’s the only picture I didn’t get rid of.”

Keith looked at Lance, his expression unknown. Lance felt a pinch of nervousness when Keith didn’t start asking questions. The other approached him, taking hold of the clothes being offered, but let their fingers touch and hold. Their eyes met and Lance could see a softness surrounding that unyielding confidence.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me. If you ever want to, however, I will listen.”

It was like a weight he hadn’t known had been sitting on his chest was lifted off. He felt lighter now, more relaxed. He watched Keith leave the room to change, his lips quirking in a soft smile. He was sure he’d be able to trust Keith with his heart.

His heart finally sighed with relief, finally felt that soft ‘ah, I’m home’ feeling.

Lance smiled, even as a bit of nervousness did pick up within him. “One day, I will.”

And he would, but for now? His heart had a lot of mending to do in this new home.


	3. I Wish I Could Give You More

Description: onesided Sheith applies here. Keith is rejected, Lance offers comfort.

\-----

“I’m sorry, Keith, But I-”

Keith didn’t wait to hear the answer, it was obvious. He told Shiro to forget it and when Shiro didn’t come after him, he knew that was rejection.

If Shiro had truly anything else to say, he would have followed him. Shiro wouldn’t have just let Keith storm off after he said something so important as ‘I love you’. No, If Shiro had loved him he would have came after him, grabbed him by the wrist, and made him listen.

But Keith was alone now, and his heart kept beating wildly - thrashing painfully against his breast as he felt himself struggle to breathe.

He knew Shiro didn’t love him like that. He knew the man saw him like a little brother, but it still hurt. It was still frustrating to know he was rejected. He growled as he punched the wall to his room, anger and hurt flaring. Only, he hadn’t punched his wall. No, this wall belonged to someone else.

And that someone came out of their room because of that noise.

“So now you go around punching people’s walls?”

Keith didn’t have the heart to glare at Lance right now, he feared if he tried, he would burst into uncharacteristic tears. He didn’t want Lance to see him cry, hell, he didn’t want to cry about this at all! It was a stupid thing to cry about.

“You okay?”

The softness of Lance’s voice was torture. His hand throbbed in time to his pained heart and he frowned, his voice croaking out a soft ‘no’, which seemed to beckon Lance over, surprising Keith as the other took his hand, examining the redness of his knuckles. The soft pads of his fingers brushing them made Keith shiver.

“Let’s get some cool water on these, yeah?”

It was as if Lance knew something more than his hand was wrong. The way he spoke, so soft and caring, as if he was handling glass, made Keith feel weird. Not a bad weird, but still weird. He wanted to be mad at the way Lance was treating him, but for some reason, he allowed the blue paladin to pull him into his room.

Once inside, Lance ran a towel under some cool water and then began blotting Keith’s hand - the act was so soft, so kind, that Keith felt his guard drop so much that the words just tumbled out of his mouth.

“I told Shiro that I was in love with him…and he rejected me.”

—

“Oh…”

If there was one thing Lance was well versed in, it was rejections. He had thought he would have liked to see Keith rejected, that immature part of him stroked by the mere thought of Keith being rejected just the way he was countless times.

Except, this wasn’t anything like when he was rejected.

Lance’s rejections came from flirtations that never bore fruit. Flirtations with people he didn’t even know, but would have liked to get to know. People he could of had a good time with and nothing more. Those rejections hurt, true, but they were easy to deal with and even easier to get over.

But Keith? Keith was in love with Shiro.

In love with Shiro.

Rejection of those feelings wasn’t easy. A broken heart was never easy. But it had happened to Keith. Lance had been stunned at first, when Keith had admitted to him, in a small voice that cracked with emotion and even cracked deep into Lance’s heart, that he had been in love with Shiro. He knew the two of them were close, but he had always thought it was a more brotherly nature. He hadn’t known that Keith’s affections had run deeper than that.

So when those soft spoken words reached his ears, he hadn’t grinned like he thought he would have, he didn’t jeer at Keith or prod him, no, he made a dumb move. He wrapped his arms around Keith, tucking that dark head under his chin, holding him close.

“That’s rough, buddy.”

Keith snorted out a laugh, it fanned over Lance’s neck - hot and wet, making Lance’s mouth fall open and his cheeks grow warm. The feel of Keith now nosing against his neck… shot sparks down his spine and he felt a tingle of desire. A desire he had always known was there for Keith, but never wanted to acknowledge. Keith muttered a soft ‘thanks, I guess’ while Lance rubbed circles into Keith’s lower back, feeling the heat of that now pliant body as they held each other. Another inkling of desire sparked and Lance’s dumb move became words.

“Let me comfort you. You can even use me, and pretend, if you want.”

He would have taken it back if the sight of those hurt eyes hadn’t distracted him. Keith’s eyes were so beautiful normally, but that sadness laced with exhaustion - tired of fighting his feelings, made his deep gray eyes even more striking. But even more than that, Keith’s lips on his had quieted him, they were dry and soft, a simple press of flesh, breaking apart softly with an exhale as Keith whispered a soft, broken - yet curious, ‘okay’.

Lance knew he shouldn’t be comforting Keith like this. He should be holding him in a different way, a friendly way - not with this lustful way that seemed to well within him with each crashing wave of desire that should not exist in the ocean of his mind. He kissed Keith, again and again, as if each kiss would push the thought of Shiro away, being swallowed away by an ocean. Keith kissed back with each kiss, even as they fell to the bed, even as they came together.

Lance also knew that Keith couldn’t be imagining Shiro with this, no matter how hard he tried to. The feel of Lance’s hand on Keith’s cock couldn’t feel like Shiro’s. Shiro’s hand was larger, thicker fingers and a firmer palm. Lance’s hands were more on the willow side with long, skinnier fingers. Keith couldn’t imagine those fingers to be Shiro’s as they filled his entrance with lubricant, teasing his opening and searching for that hot spot inside of him, coaxing him to relax and ease into pleasure.

And because of that, there was a moment of uncertainty when Lance loomed over Keith, looking down at him. Keith watched him, Lance’s dick pressed against his entrance but not moving. Lance swallowed, knowing this could never be a replacement, this could never be what Keith truly wanted, but… it could do for now.

With a gentleness he never thought he could possess towards Keith, he stroked the other’s face, thumbing the side of his jawline as he whispered down to him, voice cracking. “Close your eyes and forget that it’s me.”

Keith’s eyes snapped shut, his mouth twisting as Lance entered him, entered him in a fashion that seemed all too sweet and all too soft. Lance was trying to comfort Keith in ways he should never do, but Keith consented, even though Lance knew he’d never be good enough for Keith - that this would only be a substitute for what he truly wanted but could never have.

Lance’s eyes pinched shut as he moved within Keith, sawing out of him in soft strokes, finding purchase as he clutched onto those pale hips. The sounds of Keith’s grunts, his moans, and his sighs spurred Lance on - wanting to hear more of them.

It was at the moment of his climax, just as he was reaching that peak that he thought… he could fall in love with Keith like this. That he could learn to love Keith. He opened his eyes in time to watch Keith’s mouth drop open and his hand work on his cock, coming as he convulsed around Lance’s dick.

Lance’s heart pulsed and he swallowed back a pain blooming in his chest.

He pulled out, feeling the wetness leak out as he did. He grabbed some tissues and handed them to Keith, his eyes growing a little wet at the newfound emotions he was feeling, they were startling and fragile, and something he didn’t want to feel. He licked his lips as he swallowed around his words before finally getting them out.

“We could do this again if you need to.”

Keith laughed, hollow and full of hurt, but then he sighed - as if releasing those emotions to make room for something lighter. His smile was sad as he looked at Lance. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

It would be. Because now, they’d be comforting each other with this sordid act.


	4. What a Life to Take, What a Bond to Break

Description: The only properly angsty entry I did - Major Charater Injury & Death apply here.

\-----

If a bayard reflected the paladin’s personality, it was telling when his transformed into a cane.

It was a big transition, learning to not only use a staff-like weapon - going from long range to short range, but also keeping the bayard in that state at almost all times. If not, it was a little difficult walking now. His right leg was mangled beyond repair. The scar that ran from the top of his thigh down to the top of his calf was hideous, a reminder of the damage that had not only happened to himself, but the team. The fractured bones in his leg also hadn’t healed properly, just enough that he was able to still walk, or at least limp.

But with his cane, he could walk better, the limp not as noticeable as everyone’s attention fell onto that cane - white and blue and in your face.

He limped towards his room on the castle, his lips thin as his leg was aching. He needed to prop it up soon - he’d been on his feet all day - accompanying the others on a diplomatic trip, which is what usually consisted of their missions now - no more fighting, at least, not like they use to in their youth.

He sighed in relief as he propped the damaged leg up, leaning his back against the wall by his bed. He rubbed gentle circles down his leg as the pressure eased and his bayard de-transformed.

A knock to his door made his brows raise and he muttered a disgruntled ‘yeah?’ - prompting the person to walk in. It was Hunk, as it was almost always Hunk that came here. He gratefully took the water offered to him, ignoring the worrying look Hunk was giving him.

“So, the date Allura had set up for you was really pretty, wasn’t she?”

Lance lowered the water packet, his eyes on Hunk, who seemed to squirm now. Ah, this again. Lance lost count on how many times during balls and meetings that Allura set him up with some beautiful alien diplomat, some beautiful princess - anyone, just to see if he’d react like ‘the old Lance’. Well, sad to say - the ‘old Lance’ was gone. They had to adapt to the new Lance, whether they wanted to or not - just like they had to adapt to the loss of one of their irreplacable teammates. Lance clenched the drink in his hand, water squirting out of the top of the straw - which made Hunk panic slightly.

“Whoa, I didn’t mean to make you mad by asking!”

Lance loosened his grip with a sigh, placing the water packet down on his shelf, turning his gaze back on to Hunk.

“She was pretty, but not my type.”

“She used to be your type.”

Lance could feel the tick in his eyebrow, anger roaring in his blood. “Yeah, when I was a kid and before-”

Before he fell in love.

He grimaced, his eyes flashing.

Hunk sighed in defeat. “Coran tweaked the cyropod to work on old wounds, you know. If you want to heal your leg, all you have to do is ask.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Hunk didn’t say anything to that because he knew as well as Lance did - it wasn’t fine. But Lance himself wasn’t fine either. He would never be. After that last battle, the last one Lance ever participated in - they lost more than Lance’s leg. They lost Keith, they lost the right arm of Voltron and noone, not even Allura, could replace it completely. So if they had to lose the right arm, they may as well lose the right leg.

Lance swallowed back pain, his eyes stinging at the thought of Keith. Hunk could sense the pain radiating off his friend, but more than that, he could feel the vibes of ‘leave me alone’ and ‘go away’. He sighed and gave Lance’s shoulder a soft squeeze before leaving him alone.

Lance breathed in heavily, his head thumping back against his wall before he made his decision. He reached for his bayard, it transformed into its cane the moment he held it, it tapped the floor before his feet made contact and then he was moving out of his room and into the one to his right, adjacent to his. The door slid open and Lance walked in, breathing in the scent. It was starting to lose the smell, but Lance could still smell it - still imagine it was there.

He walked over to the wall where the thing that carried most of the scent hung. He grabbed the red jacket off the wall and then stumbled to the bed, falling down onto it and hugged the red jacket, sniffing the lapels, breathing in deep gulps of the scent, mind flashing in pain as he did so.

God, he missed Keith.

The pain that resonated in his broken leg was nothing in comparison to the pain and emptiness in his heart with the absence of Keith. Keith, who he had fallen in love with. Keith, who had loved him just as much.

They had been so happy…

He sighed as he lowered the jacket, looking at the ceiling now. He should really go heal his leg… Keith would want him to, but the more he thought about it, the more the leg was a reminder of Keith, of the failure of not getting to Keith in time. If he had only been careful, Keith would still be here today.

He’d bear the proof of his failure for the rest of his life, especially if that meant he had a constant reminder of Keith with him.

He winced as his leg throbbed, making him smile sardonically. Oh yes, it was a constant reminder. He propped his leg a bit more as he rolled onto his back holding Keith’s jacket close - longing for the body that was meant to fill that jacket to magically appear in his arms once more. If only it would… he brought the jacket up to his nose once more, breathing in deeply again, his eyes falling closed as he could just picture Keith in his arms - warm and solid, strong arms around him too. That little half smirk Keith always gave to him, those dark eyes flashing with love and challenge, a teasing softness that only belonged to him. But when Lance opened his eyes, he didn’t see Keith, just the wall of the red paladin’s room and an empty jacket.

His leg flashed with pain again, the nerve connected to his heart twinging as well. He sighed, patting his leg.

“Just a little more time, okay?”

Just a little more imagining that Keith was still there, that he was still whole.

His leg twinged.


	5. No One Can Know How We Feel

Description: Keith and Lance have a secret relationship, but things become a bit rocky.

\------

Despite popular opinion, Lance liked to believe he was good at keeping a secret or two, especially when said secret involved himself.

And oh man, was he involved in a secret all right.

A rather, enticing secret.

Their kiss broke soundly in the quiet room, their eyes meeting and holding as Lance peered down at his lover. It wasn’t so strange anymore, thinking of Keith as ‘his lover’, but it had been once - in the beginning. But he was only his lover in his room alone, only in his room. Behind these closed doors they weren’t just Keith and Lance - space rangers and the right side of Voltron. They were two boys that were dating, two boys that were on the path to falling in love.

Lance raked a hand through Keith’s hair as he stretched out on top of him, his hips pressing down while Keith’s pressed up in response - or… perhaps challenge by the way Keith’s eyes flashed and the way that soft smirk tilted, teasing and just for him. Amusement filtered in. He loved the way Keith teased him now. What once had been kind of annoying had softened to fondness. He enjoyed Keith’s teasings now, especially since he knew they weren’t done in malice. He added pressure into his hips and then moved, sliding against Keith’s hips - causing both of them to curse. Cheeks flushed and breath grew hot as they moved, rubbing against each other.

They never went further than this, which didn’t bother Lance. He knew if Keith wanted to, he’d say so. And still… there was a feeling at the back of his head that there was a deeper reason for Keith not wanting to. His mind pounded in time to his pulse as his thoughts raced as fast as his orgasm did, coming in his pants as he thrust against Keith, who was biting out his own snarl, nose wrinkling and hips thrashing as he came as well. Lance slumped against Keith, sighing heavily in his ear.

“Is something wrong?”

“Yeah, your fat ass is laying on top of me.”

“Rude!”

Keith laughed, pushing Lance off of him halfheartedly, eyes full of an impish light. “We have come in our pants.”

“We could have had it on our bodies instead…”

Keith’s lips fell from his smile and his eyes grew shadowed, he looked away. Lance licked his lips and leaned over, wrapping an arm around Keith, eyes searching the side of his face.

“Talk to me, Keith.”

Keith side-eyed him, his mouth still in a frown while Lance continued, even as he changed out of his pants - into ones he kept here, for just this occasion. Lance felt his heart twinge at that, reaching to do the same as he continued on.

“Were you… hurt as a kid or something? I mean, I know you said you had been in foster care… were you-”

“No. Why would you even think that?”

Lance flushed, feeling the approaching storm of an argument forming on the horizon, even as he deposited their soiled clothes and returned to Keith, staring down at him before rejoining him on his bed. “Well, I… I just thought since you never want to go any further.”

Keith’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to go any further because of Voltron, I’m fine.”

“Voltron? What does Voltron have to do with us having some fun?”

The first sound of thunder rolled. “Everything. In case you have forgotten, we are the right side of Voltron - anything we do can and will mess up the sync we have with our team.”

“I think I can handle fucking you and forming Voltron just fine, thank you.”

Lighting struck down as Keith snarled. “Do you think the others could handle it? For all we know, Voltron pilots must remain platonic! What do we do if that is the case, huh?”

“We could always tell everyone, and then go from there.”

Keith seemed to pale at that, soft thunder in Lance’s head as he watched the conflicted emotions flutter on his face. Lance’s heart squeezed. He knew that face… knew what Keith was thinking. He bite back emotions as he spoke softly.

“You don’t want to tell them at all, do you?”

Keith frowned, his eyes looking down and away from Lance. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like?”

“I-”

“Because it sounds like you are ashamed of this! Are you ashamed of this?”

“No! Damn it, Lance, this is why I didn’t want to discuss this.”

Lance threw his hands up in the air, the storm clouds roaring now. “This is why we have to discuss this! What do we do when we start to fall in love with each other, huh? Do we still keep sneaking around behind everyone’s backs? Because I don’t know about you, but I can’t live like that for too much longer, especially when I see myself falling in love with you.”

Keith froze at that, his eyes widening and Lance only then realized his mistake. Love was a strong word and he could feel Keith start to pull away from him.

“We should stop.”

“… what?”

“Our emotions are clearly unstable, we… we should stop.”

The rain fell in a downpour, make the fire in Lance’s heart fizzle down to a dying ember. “You, want to stop, just because I don’t want to keep this a secret anymore?”

Keith looked at him, his eyes hurt but trying to be hard. “We don’t know what this would do to the team, to Voltron. It has to stop if we can’t control ourselves.”

Keith sounded like the leader Shiro had always thought he could be, the leader he had been when Shiro had been gone missing. And Lance… Lance felt like the red paladin he had played while Shiro had been gone. Fiery emotions roared in his blood, making it pound hard and run too hot. He bit back his emotions, his voice straining.

“Fine, get out then.”

“Lance-”

“Get out!”

So Keith did, leaving Lance alone in his room and with the empty feeling and the twinge of betrayal.

—

Allura slapped her hands on the control panel when her team walked in. They had defeated the enemy, but their voltron formation had broken apart. The formation… fell apart! They hadn’t done that in quite a long time.

“What happened out there?”

Hunk groused as he walked in, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. “I’ll tell you what happened. The right side grew too heavy.”

Lance sniffed, looking away while Keith tossed his helmet down. He knew this would become an issue. He knew it!

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Can the two of you just make up so we can form Voltron properly?”

Lance glowered at Keith, about to open his mouth to spill the secret they’d been keeping until Keith glared right back at him, silencing him and also making his lips purse in defeat. Lance knew how to keep a secret, but damn did it hurt.

Allura rubbed at her temple, sighing before giving Lance and Keith a steady look. “I agree with Pidge, you two must get along. I didn’t think I’d have to repeat this to you now - you’ve been paladins for years!”

Shiro stepped in. “I think they are having issues with their relationship, that’s all.”

Lance resisted the urge to snort loudly. Issues all right… that’s for damned sure.

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, you guys got into an arguement over who tops so you broke up?”

Lance and Keith paled, their eyes widening at Pidge’s words. And when no one berated her for assuming such things and only looked at them for answers, Lance suddenly felt very stupid for trying to keep their relationship a secret. He should have known that Voltron kept no secrets.

Keith must be feeling equally stupid.

“Uh, no! No, that isn’t the issue,” started Lance, noticing how everyone was waiting for him to continue, except for Keith, who was a little red in the face now. “Uh.. did you all know?”

“Know what?” asked Hunk, who flung himself onto the couch and gave Lance an exasperated look. “That you and Keith were an item? Uh, yeah? What? Was it supposed to be a dirty little secret?”

Lance blanched while Keith fidgeted.

“So it’s okay? That we’re-”

Allura cut in. “It’s not exactly smiled upon, but it’s not forbidden. In fact, as long as the relationship remains on good terms, it’s a good thing.”

“Oh.”

“So that was it? You two were trying to keep a secret relationship or something? Even though you know we all mind meld for Voltron?”

Lance scowled at Pidge. “Well, when you put it that way…”

Pidge snorted while Shiro sighed. “So I take it this clears things up?”

Lance looked at Keith, who looked back. Lance lifted his nose in the air. “It does, but someone needs to make it up to me now.”

Keith rolled his eyes, knowing that someone was him. Still, all the hurt feelings did have to be mended and he had a lot of mending to do.

At least now it wouldn’t have to be done in secret.


	6. Make the Sacrifice and I Will Follow You

Description: Lance, the Altean Royal Guard, is caught being on Galra after visiting his lover - he is punished publicly.

\------

Fear pulsed through him as he couldn’t see, the thick cloth hiding his sight strapped so tightly around his eyes that he was sure it would cut into his skin and just as his eyes were adjusted to the darkness, it was ripped off - revealing bright purple lights, lights of the Gara Empire. His eyes squinted as he looked out into a crowd - a mish-mash of aliens, most of them Galra soldiers, but some of them captive aliens that very well may be enjoying whatever this show was going to be.

He cursed in Altean as he spotted Prince Lotor walking over, the heels of his boots clicking with each pronounced step, that smarmy smirk in place.

“Where is my princess?”

Lotor ignored him, facing the crowd, who cheered. “It appears we have a guest tonight, at our arena. The Royal Captain of the Guard on Altea has decided to grace us with his presence. But we did not invite him, so this guest is an intruder. And don’t we know what we do to our intruders.”

Lotor turned toward the guard, tipping his tanned chin upward with the bottom of his crop. Yellow eyes peering at blue ones, speaking low enough so the rest couldn’t hear him. “I am uncertain how you got past security, but you’ll pay for intruding here.”

“Where is Allura?”

Lotor scoffed. “She is where she should be.”

Royal Guard Lance shuddered at that, his teeth clenching, they ground the moment that crop slapped him across the cheek - not hard enough to welt, but hard enough to sting, definitely enough to leave a red mark.

“Don’t worry, I won’t scar your face - it’s too pretty to do that to it.”

Lance’s fists gripped onto the leather binding his arms were suspended with, feeling the leather blindfold be wrapped around his head again, but this time - around his mouth, pushing inside so he could bite down. His nostrils flared, silvery-white locks falling over his eyes as he glowered. Damn Lotor. Damn him.

The crack of the crop made Lance hiss out a sharp breath through his nose and then he cried out on the second. He could feel his back scream as the crowd cheered. Lance winced with each hit, but he’d never admit to Lotor how he got here, or why he was here. He’d let Lotor believe he was infiltrating, he didn’t need to know that Lance had been visiting someone. He didn’t want him to get in trouble.

But after the tenth crack, he spotted him in the crowd, his heart damn near stopping, tears finally leaking out of his eyes.

Keith.

Keith was safe, that’s all that mattered. He’d endure this to keep Keith safe, anything, to keep his love safe.

He winced as the crop sliced down, marring his back some more.

A total of fifteen lashes were bestowed upon him when Lotor finally relinquished, stepping around the royal guard, taking his face in his hands - squeezing his cheeks as he made him look at him.

“I’ll give you a trade, guard. Warm my bed and your princess goes free.”

Lance’s eyes widened, he could feel his eyes finding Keith’s in the crowds - those yellow eyes just as wide as his. He swallowed. He didn’t want to do that. But Allura… but how did he know Lotor was even telling the truth? What if his princess wasn’t even there?

He gritted his teeth while Lotor laughed.

“Or do you enjoy the pain and public humiliation that much, hm?”

“…fine.”

“What? I’m afraid I, as well as the crowd, can’t hear you.”

“I said okay! I’ll do it!”

Lotor sneered while a voice snarled from the crowd, a loud ‘no’, which made Lotor look out and narrow his eyes.

“Who dares to interfere?”

No… Keith, don’t.

“I do.”

Lotor’s eyes narrowed at Keith, his lips curling at the sight of the other Galra. Their gazes held and Lance knew it was a pissing contest between them - which made Lance proud of his lover. Keith would even challenge the prince himself, his will was so strong. Still, this was foolish. Especially when Lotor sliced the crop through the air - pointing at Keith now.

 

“Join us on stage, won’t you?”

Keith did, his eyes never straying from Lotor, never wavering in their determination. Lotor tapped the crop against Keith’s face, the sound of that flat square thwaking against his cheek.

“Are you in league with this Altean?”

Keith glanced at Lance, at the marks on his back, bleeding and welting up, and then back at Lotor. “Yes.”

There was a rush of chatter in the crowd, shock and appallment, but also… whispers of revolution. That, made Lotor grip his crop harder.

“Silence!”

The crowd fell into the silence Lotor demanded, making the prince’s lips curl.

“Then you’ll be beat alongside him.”

Lance gritted his teeth, head whipping up. “I promised to go to bed with you, can you not spare him?”

Lotor gave Lance a baleful look. “Fine, would you rather have your princess freed or this disloyal Galra freed from punishment?”

 

Lance’s jaw popped with the force of his clenched jaw, eyes narrowing. Lotor smirked at him. “That’s what I thought.”

Lance watched, his heart pounding as Lotor turned back to Keith, Keith who stood so strong, even as he bared his back. There were marks on that back, marks that Lance clearly remembered leaving - biting on that shoulder, blunt nails digging into flesh as Keith pounded into him. Lotor knew what they were too, the crop slicing down hard against Keith’s flesh.

Lance lost count on how many lashes rained down on Keith’s back - still the other unwavered, use to the pain. Lance knew this, as Keith was a Blade. Still, to see his lover’s raw back, made his own throb.

Lotor tsked. “I grow bored of this. Captain, why don’t you have a go?”

Lance blinked as the crop was held out to him. The crowd seemed amused now.

“What?”

“Come now, surely you’ve used a riding crop before, or even a bull whip. It’s not that hard.”

Lotor’s fists curled around Lance’s, making him hold the crop and approach Keith, who was still on his knees. Lance’s eyes teared up at the bloody mess on the man’s back.

Lotor hissed in his ear. “Don’t tell me this will turn the two of you on? Perverts.”

Lance soured at Lotor, who sneered at him, before that amusement melted away - his voice loud and clear.

“Whip him, Captain, or else you’ll both be executed.”

Lance frowned, looking down at Keith, who looked at him over his shoulder, trust and acceptance in those eyes. Lance swallowed a whimper. “I’m sorry.”

The crop sliced through the air, just as tears fell to the ground.


End file.
